


Fire

by MorganaNK



Category: Inspector Lynley - All Media Types, Inspector Lynley Mysteries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 19:30:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10770924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganaNK/pseuds/MorganaNK
Summary: You can only hurt if you also careAn established relationship story inspired by the quote at the beginning





	Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Property of Elizabeth George and the BBC, no copyright infringement intended

**_Why do you put up with me?  
Because you’re fire… and I’ve been cold my whole life.  
A R Asher_ **

I stood in front of Tommy, my chest heaving, my face red.

“I don’t know why you have to be so bloody difficult about this.”

He towered over me, eyes blazing.

“I didn’t think I was.”

“Of course you don’t! Silly me!”

“It’s one night Barbara.”

“One night of everything I hate.”

“Don’t try and play that card or else I might have to remind you of all the times I have done something out of my comfort zone for you.”

“That’s a low blow. When we got married I told you that, although I wasn’t comfortable being Lady Asherton, I would support you when it mattered, and by that I meant charity balls and events at Howenstow not an opening at a stuffy art gallery full of people who will stare down their noses at me because I don’t know what the hell I am looking at!”

“Christ! I am sick of your moaning. I thought you’d got over your class prejudices, obviously, I was wrong.”

“Well if that’s the way you feel I might as well leave.”

“Do what you want, you normally do!”

“Okay then, I will!”

I ran up the stairs to our room, slamming the door behind me. I collapsed on the bed, sobbing my heart out.

~*~

I ran my hands through my hair, cursing myself for losing my temper so spectacularly. Neither of us meant the things we said, we unfortunately knew which buttons to press to successfully wind the other up. One of us had to make the first move to resolve things, and I felt it should be me.

I made my way up the stairs, and as I drew closer to the bedroom I could hear Barbara weeping. As I walked into the room and saw her, distraught, curled up on the bed, my heart tripped and stumbled in my chest.

“Barbara?” I kept my voice low and calm.

She leapt from the bed and threw herself into my arms. “I’m sorry Tommy, I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry.”

I moved us to the bed, lifting her into my lap and cradling her against me. “I’m sorry too Barbara, I didn’t mean to hurt you and I don’t want you to leave.”

“I don’t want to leave you, I could never leave you, I love you.”

I rocked her, kissing her hair and stroking her back. Barbara was my world, she had been from pretty much our first meeting. Losing her terrified me, she was the one person I couldn’t live without.

“And I love you.”


End file.
